Fetal Doppler Rental?

I just learned yesterday that it's possible to rent home-use fetal doppler machines, so you can listen to baby's heartbeat any time and reassure yourself that baby is still there and ok. I'm wondering if anyone here has had experience with one? They're regulated by the FDA and listed as safe for baby but of course that isn't 100%. Also, you have to get your rental approved by a doctor - so I called mine and she apparently doesn't like them. She said they're harder to use than they seem, esp this early (I'm 10 weeks tomorrow) and can cause undue stress when mom and dad can't find the baby's heart beat, even tho baby may be fine.

These last 2 weeks have been very slow and hellish...and we still have 2 more to go before our next doctor's check in. This is right about the time we lost our last pregnancy so that's why we're extra nervous. It just seemed like a gift from god to hear we could check on things at home! But hubby is lukewarm to the idea.

If anyone is curious, the site I was looking at was www.babybeat.com. Apparently they can rent for anywhere from $20/month up to $50 or $60 (or prob higher). I would love to hear a story from someone who's tried one!

I have been on the receiving end of poor parents who have used these and can't find the heartbeat. Babies were fine but the terror it caused those parents was bad. I'm half way through my midwifery degree, I can tell the difference between a fetal heartbeat and a maternal one but lots of people can't. As you are quite early on I wouldn't recommend using one as it is incredibly difficult to locate a fetal heartbeat at 10 weeks. If you absolutely must have one of these though, wait until you are at least 16weeks along and you are aware that sometimes it may be difficult to find the heartbeat or you may spend time listening to your own.

@sweekune: Thank you so much for chiming in! It's, of course, not what I was hoping to hear, but it totally makes sense and reaffirms what my OB and my hubby feel as well. I'm really unsure of how to get thru the next 2 weeks with my sanity in tact but I'll just have to figure it out!

It's true-- a 10wk fetus is only an inch long. Finding the heartbeat is tough. It should be quite easy to distinguish between the maternal heartbeat (60-90 bpm or so) and the fetal (120+) but I think they would cause a great deal more anxiety than reassurance.

I bought one in my first trimester at a friends suggestion...a sonoline b for about $50. I was torn, but it ended up being a good call and really eased my stress. That said, I understand your doctors concerns too.

My OB warned me that early on I might not always find the heartbeat right away, so you do need to be prepared for that and not panic...but I was always able to find it in a minute or two starting around 11 weeks. I used it once or twice a week to reassure myself until I started feeling regular movement. Then only every so often if I hadn't felt anything for awhile and was starting to freak myself out.

I think for some people they're awesome to provide some extra reassurance, others it does cause more stress when you inevitably hit a day when it takes longer to find. I never had trouble telling babys heartbeat from my own...I know my resting heartbeat is not 145.